Prof. Ueda Wins 2010 JSBBA Award

April 9, 2010

Prof. Kazumitsu Ueda

At the U.S. National Cancer Institute, where he
conducted post-doctoral research from 1985 to 1987
(with Profs. Michael Gottesman and Ira Pastan)

Prof. Kazumitsu Ueda of Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) and the Graduate School of Agriculture has been selected as a recipient of the JSBBA's (Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry) top prize.

The award, presented at the society's annual meeting held in Tokyo in March, honored Prof. Ueda's diligence in the field of ABC proteins, building on the first isolation of MDR1 from eukaryotes over 20 years ago. In accepting the prize, Prof. Ueda delivered a talk at the meeting entitled "Understanding the Physiological Roles and Molecular Mechanisms of Human ABC Proteins".

"Compared to soluble proteins, working with membrane proteins is tedious and time consuming," explained Prof. Ueda in an interview, adding "I'd like to devote another 10 years to basic research involving ABC proteins."

Prof. Ueda began his work in the field while conducting post-doctoral research from 1985-87 at the National Cancer Institute in the United States, where he was part of a project seeking to isolate genes related to multi-drug resistant cancers. Upon his return he joined Kyoto University's Faculty of Agricultural Chemistry, where in 1992 he was honored with the JSBBA's Award for the Encouragement of Young Scientists.

"I owe a large debt of thanks to friends overseas who have helped me mature as a scientist and a person," said Prof. Ueda. "Interacting with researchers at conferences overseas and developing friendships with colleagues coming from completely different cultures and backgrounds has had a great influence on me. I get the feeling that younger Japanese today, raised in relative comfort, no longer have a strong desire to study abroad. It is my hope that my younger colleagues here at the iCeMS, while enjoying this research environment enlivened by many scientists from other countries, will also eagerly grasp opportunities to grow by spending time living overseas."